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How to Restore Blued Steel

Blued steel most often refers to the bluish tinge found on the metal of guns, especially older or even antique guns. Typically, guns are treated to protect the surfaces from rusting, which can decrease the quality and usability of the gun. Instead of rusting, the gun will turn a bluish color due to the chemical reactions taking place on the metal surface over time. The process to reverse this occurrence, for at least a short time, is ironically called "gun bluing." Bluing is achieved through either hot or cold means, but the cold methods are easier and more applicable to a wider variety of gun surfaces.

Things You'll Need

Brake cleaner or isopropyl alcohol
Distilled white vinegar

Instructions

- 1
  Completely rid all metal surfaces of the gun of oil. You can accomplish this by using brake cleaner. Even common isopropyl alcohol can get the job done if placed in a spray bottle and applied liberally over the surface of the gun metal. Place all of your cleaned gun metal parts on a flat surface, such as a glass baking dish.
- 2
  Submerge the gun parts in the distilled white vinegar. Let the parts sit for at least 15 minutes. Then, remove each part one at a time and wipe down with a clean cloth. Put each part back into the vinegar. Repeat this process multiple times, and you will begin to see the bluing, as well as the reddish oxidized film that follows, disappear.
- 3
  Remove the parts from the vinegar bath after at least two hours, or until all of the bluing and oxidation has been wiped clean. Dump out the vinegar from the dish, then put the parts back in. Run under cool water to fully flush away all of the vinegar from the gun parts.
- 4
  Hand-dry your gun parts. Or, place them in a 250-degree oven for around 20 minutes. If you heat-dry the parts, you might notice some oxidation. If this occurs, remove with a steel wool cloth.

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